4.30.2010

Be still my heart. That's what was going through my head when I first came across these Miette cookies on DesignSponge. It took me all of two seconds to fall head over heels in love with these delightful treats and I knew that I wouldn't be able to resist posting something about them on Dessert Girl!

Based on the gorgeous Osborne & Little wallpaper that line the walls of the Miette Confiserie in San Francisco, these floral shortbread cookies are the perfect pairing of art and food. I haven't eaten one, so I can't vouch for their flavor, but everything that I've had from Miette has been mighty yummy, so I'm sure these would have the same glorious flavor as their other treats. As an added visual bonus, the plates in these pictures appear to be designed by the super talented Whitney Smith, one of my all-time favorite potters! At least, it looks like Whitney's work, anyway. Click here to order online. {Thanks, Ashley!}

4.27.2010

Today’s recipe comes from graphic designer Emily Dumas. Based in Massachusetts, Emily runs the design and stationary company Flowers in May, where she creates super fun, themed prints (of course, the baking print is my favorite!), along with lovely invitations, note cards, coasters, and magnets. Today she’s sharing a delicious recipe for strawberry cupcakes. Personally, I think nothing says summer like strawberries and these sweet treats would make the perfect addition to your warm weather get together. I hope you enjoy them!

Click on the image at the top of this post to see a larger, readable version of the recipe card. Click here to check out the full selections at Flowers in May. Thanks, Emily!

4.19.2010

Font love started, for most people, back in 2007, with the release of the awesome documentary Helvetica. Who knew that a movie about a font could be so interesting?? Well, it was and typography is finally making it's way into the dessert world. Woo hoo! I especially love the font recipes featured in Sweet Treats - A Typographical Cookbook ($20) by Woodward Design (see below). The first time I caught a glimpse of it, I was instantly hooked. So many creative possibilities! If you're a fan of typography, it's definitely worth a browse. Check out the photos below for more fun ways to work typography into your desserts. {image above: Helvetica Cake}

4.16.2010

Now that Spring is here and picnic season has officially started, I thought it was a great time to share these fun party sandwich loafs that would be perfect for your next picnic/outdoor get together. I will warn you, though, if you ever encounter one of these loafs at a party, please know that although it may look like a delicious cake, it is far from it! A fact that I was actually pleased to discover after spending some disturbing moments wondering what naughty person ruined a perfectly good cake by covering it with olives! I was in fact quite relived to discover that what I thought was dessert was actually a giant sandwich masquerading as a cake.

While it is true that this loaf does have a cream cheese frosting, you won't find chocolate creme inside. What you will see is egg salad, ham, avocados, celery, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and French dressing, among other ingredients. Okay, I'll admit it, the sandwich loaf doesn't exactly make my mouth water, but it is filled with kitschy goodness. A friend of mine recently made one for a get together and I was completely fascinated by it, even though I don't eat meat! Besides, vegetarians can always swap in fake meat, instead, if they want to give it a whirl or make one with only veggies. Check out some more sandwich loaf options below. [Thanks John and Sadie!] {image above by Eartha Kitsch}

4.12.2010

One of my favorite things about New York is the fact that you can find a bakery on just about every street. I'm not going to lie; it is pretty much the only reason that I would consider packing my bags and moving there permanently. My fondness for trees and peace and quiet would probably prevent such a move, but the fact that I could go to Baked and Momofuku on a regular basis . . . now that would be tempting! It certainly would be much easier than what I do now, which is to try and cram all my NY eating into one long weekend! Food is most definitely on my brain while I'm there, and even when I'm not, like tonight, when I was driving home from work. I seriously spent my rush-hour drive time trying to decide if I want to order the Arnold Palmer cake or the Lucky Charms ice cream at Momofuku! It was while contemplating this important decision when I thought, hey, wouldn't it be fun to ask people about their favorite things to eat and do in New York! I find that the best ideas usually come via recommendations and, besides, I love hearing about people's favorite spots, including the nonfood variety. I mean, you can't possibly spend the whole time eating, can you? [Gramercy Park print by the smile inducing Matte Stephens]

4.10.2010

I am such an illustration geek that when Katie Green sent over these illustrations/pictures for her Mixing Bowl recipe, I had a little internal freak out (in a positive way, of course). Illustrations make me sooo happy and these Bakewell Tart drawings by Katie are just perfect! I was also really thrilled, and quite honored, to discover that Dessert Girl is now officially part of Katie's What I Wore Today series, in which she playfully chronicles her daily outfit choices, not in photos, but in illustrations! It's a great, whimsical alternative to all those fashion blogs out there. Here she is making her (vegan) Bakwell Tart for us!

But, wait, that's not all Katie's got up her sleeve! For a lot of designers, having one creative outlet might be enough, but not Katie. She's also has found time to write and illustrate a super cute vegan cookbook, in which this Bakewell Tart recipe appears and she is in the process of writing and illustrating a graphic novel that is set to be published by Jonathon Cape (see b&w image below). Oh, did I also mention the painting, papergoods, toys, jewelry, and graphic design work?? It's making me tired just thinking about it!

I hope you enjoy Katie's Blackwell Tart! She has assured me that it tastes as good as it looks in the pictures. Oh, and in case you're wondering, Katie used natural uncoloured glacé cherries on her version, which is why they look dark and prune-like instead of red! [click on the image at the top of this post to see a large-print, readable version of the recipe.]

Click here for more info on Katie’s latest projects, including her graphic novel. Also, you can check out her What I Wore series on Flickr, right here. If you're interested in ordering her vegan cookbook, Bake Me a (Vegan) Cake, you can contact her directly. Thanks, Katie!

4.08.2010

I’m always excited to hear about what past Mixing Bowl contributors have been up to, so I was thrilled to hear from Laura Ljungkvist about a children's book that she wrote and illustrated titled Pepi Sings a New Song. The story is about an enthusiastic parrot that roams his neighborhood looking for things to sing about. Among the places that Pepi visits are a music studio, an art studio, and, of course, a bakery! So cute! The book will be released April 20th and can purchased right here. Thanks, Laura!

4.02.2010

I had just finished watching Coco Before Channel when I first came across Silvana Ferreira's photos on Etsy. I was already in full French mode after spending ninety minutes in turn-of-the-century France, so it didn't take me long to become mesmerized by Silvana's gorgeous photos of Paris. There's something about her colors that just lures me in, especially the image of the Place des Vosges.

The striking blue of the sky against the red of the building...together the two transport you to a whole different place entirely. I'm a big fan of old buildings, too, so I think that one is definitely my favorite in the bunch, but there are so many other photos that I love, and not all of them are of Paris! She has a lot of beautiful nature photos as well, including some floral images that are just lovely.

Today Silvana is kind enough to be sharing with us a recipe for Very Berry Lemon Mousse, which she made using lemons and mint that she picked directly from her own garden! It sounds like the perfect summer treat! Check out the recipe and photos after the jump to see what it's all about.

You can check out Silvana's Etsy site by clicking here. You can also visit her Website, right here, and her blog here. Thanks, Silvana!